Who was the celebrated German author who began his life as a nationalist and later joined the democratic opposition in exile against the Third Reich? What was his connection to Israel and to the National Library? And why do visitors place stones on his grave? On the 70th anniversary of the death of Thomas Mann, Nobel Prize winner for Literature, we trace the man who gave us “The Magic Mountain” and who became one of the clearest and most steadfast voices against what was happening in his homeland.
The Clerk Who Became a Writer Against His Will: Who Was Franz Kafka of Prague?
What would have happened if Kafka had lived for many more years and died of old age? How did a seemingly nondescript clerk become one of the greatest writers of the 20th century? Was his death the best thing that ever happened to him? Kafka’s fascinating character is explored in a new exhibition at the National Library, showcasing the man whose life, work, and death became an inseparable part of the modern human experience.
Franz Kafka on His Deathbed
On the author’s last days, and some of the last words that he was able to put in writing.
A Chronicle of Humanity: From Creation to the Year 1492
Among the National Library of Israel’s treasures is a book that changed the face of the nascent printing industry, by incorporating spectacular woodcuts alongside the text. Written by Hartmann Schedel, the book systematically describes the history of the world and of the human race, while also documenting antisemitism over the centuries
A Letter from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to His Wife Constanze
The intimate letter, written in 1790, a year before Mozart’s death, offers a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of the legendary composer
Carl Ehrenstein: Expressionist Writer, Cultural Critic and Literary Agent
Rare items from the Carl Ehrenstein Archive
Mazel Tov! Celebrating 150 Years of Postcards
Beautiful, inexpensive and easy to use – postcards were once among the most popular forms of correspondence. In honor of their 150th anniversary, we take a look back at some early examples
The Nuremberg Laws: The Ban Against Jewish Blood
At an assembly of the Nazi Party in September 1935, the Reichstag passed laws that stripped German Jews of their citizenship
A Late Expressionist-Literary Critic-Literary Scholar
The Estate of Rudolf Kayser
The Fate of Franz Kafka’s Archive
Franz Kafka likely never imagined the incredible value or near “sacred” aura which are today attributed to each of his handwritten works
